The Animatrix
by Shego2Drakken
Summary: Knowing a belief you've held for so long is false can change your entire life. Just ask one man, whom the very incident happened to when he discovered the Animatrix... Read and Review!
1. Seeds of Curiousity

All right, this is gonna be interesting. How? Read on to find out...

Disclaimer: The original concept (and any related characters) of The Matrix belongs to dem crazy Wachowski brothers. The Great Mouse Detective characters belong to Disney and/or Eve Titus. Any other characters (unless specified) belong to Disney.

* * *

**__****  
Bleep... Bleep... Bleep... Click!**

"Hey, El Tara."(1)

"Hey, Æsahættr. How goes the surveillance?"(2)

"Good. I'm thinking we might have a chance at getting to him soon."

"Great. Leo will be pleased to hear it."(3)

"Gotta get off. You don't know exactly _who_ could be listening nowadays."

"See ya."

"See ya."

**_Click!_**

* * *

**__****_  
CRUNCH!_**

The door flew inward suddenly as the policeman kicked it open. "Police! Freeze", the cop shouted.

The room was almost completely devoid of furniture, save for a fold-up table, chair, cell phone, modem, and PowerBook computer. The only light in the room came from the computer and the cop's flashlight. The light from the computer silhouetted a figure sitting at the table, while the light from the flashlight revealed a little purple of the top the figure was wearing.

"Hands behind your head! Now! Do it"

Slowly, the teenaged figure did as the man said.

* * *

Outside, a black sedan with tinted windows pulled up. Out stepped two persons (if you could call them that). They would have been identified as plain Secret Service agents if it weren't for a few things: The ponytail and blue skin of the one and the flaming fists and pale skin of the other. 

"Remind me why we're wearing these suits again?" Agent Drakken asked for the umpteenth time, messing with his tie in an attempt to straighten it out. While he had attempted (and failed) to put the suit on so it looked neat, Shego hadn't bothered with the tie, leaving the green and black jumpsuit she usually wore underneath exposed.

"Don't know, don't care", Agent Shego replied irritably. "People sometimes freak when they see people in black suits nowadays."

"But why! If I wanted to scare people, I'd have dressed up as the Grim Reaper!"

"Yeah. Tell that to Agent Smith the next time you see him, all right?"

Agent Drakken merely grumbled.

Officer Hobble swore when he saw the two approaching. "Crap."

"Officer Hobble", Shego began in an emotionless tone. "You were given specific orders-"

"I'm just doing my job", the man snapped. "Give me that jurisdiction of yours, and I'll tell you where you can put it."

Shego merely raised an eyebrow behind her green-tinted sunglasses lenses. "Oh, really?", she asked sarcastically.

"Those orders were for your protection!", Drakken yelled, already losing his famously-short temper.

Officer Hobble merely laughed. "I think we can handle one little girl." He started to laugh, but stopped when he saw the two head towards the hotel. "I sent two units. They're bringing her down now."

"No, Officer", Shego stated in a matter-of-factly tone. "Your men are already down."

* * *

The main officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs, the others holding a bead on the girl with their tranquilizer guns. They've all done this a hundred or more times, and they think they have her until- 

Faster than the eye can blink, Æsahættr, a.k.a. Will Vandom crouched, kicking the man's legs out from underneath him. As he fell, she darted out from underneath him. Instantly she used her invisibility power, allowing herself to dart out and steal a tranquilizer gun, twist, and fire darts into the officers. When it was over, the only one left standing was her.

"Not good."

* * *

Outside, Drakken entered the motel, while Shego headed for the alley.

* * *

She picked up the cell phone and dialed the number. After a few moments of tense silence, the other end picked up. 

"Operator", the bass voice said.

"Leo, the line was traced! I don't know how."

"I know", Leo replied.

"Are there any agents?", Will asked urgently.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Peachy" came the flat reply.

"Focus", Leo said calmly. "There's a phone booth on Wells and Lake. Think you can make it?"

Will took a deep breath, centering herself. "Yeah."

"Go."

That was all Will needed to hear as she put the phone away.

* * *

Drakken walked down the hall, leading another group of policemen. Suddenly, Will burst out of the room, hurrying to the other end and climbing out onto the fire escape. "Crap", Will swore as she saw Shego in the alley below her. The only way out now was up. 

Dashing up the fire escape, she made it to the roof. As she started towards the edge, she saw Drakken and the others reach the edge of the parapet. Reaching the edge, she gracefully leapt to the next roof, her only problem being the cry of "_**SHEGO!**_" from Drakken.

So the chase began, Will using her Guardian strength to leap from roof to roof. Shego, of course being Shego, followed with the same grace.

Suddenly, she had to stop. The next building was over forty feet away!

Strangely, Will didn't panic, despite the factor of the approaching Shego. She merely called out a name. "Zephyr!"(4)

Zephyr, a.k.a. Hay Lin swooped down and lifted Will off the roof, barely managing to avoid a green plasma flame from Shego. Hay Lin grinned. "Where to?"

"Wells and Lake. And hurry!"

* * *

As soon as Hay Lin landed, Will took off, answering the ringing phone. The next moment, she was gone. Hay Lin looked around. Nothing but a garbage truck. "Guess I'd better get out, too", she muttered to no one in particular. 

As soon as she said that, the truck's engine revved to life. The car turned, starting towards the telephone booth as if taking aim. Hay Lin raced towards the phone booth, reaching and entering it.

The truck bore down on the phone booth as she answered the phone.

The truck smashed through the booth, turning it into so much Plexiglas and metal.

A moment later, Shego stepped from the truck, gritting her teeth in anger. Hay Lin was gone.

"It's real, then?", Drakken asked.

Shego frowned. "Yep. And it's only begun."

"Who do we look for?"

"Don't worry", Shego said with a wicked grin. "I already know who."

* * *

_Wake up, Ratigan..._

To say that Professor James Ratigan woke swiftly upon hearing that would have been a lie. To say it wasn't an easy task would have been closer to the truth. First one eye opened, then the other. He groggily looked around for the source of the voice. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

_Ratigan…_

"What?", the aforementioned rodent whispered, eyebrow raised. The voice seemed to come from everywhere, and yet nowhere, a deep bass that was scary, yet strangely comforting. A pause. "…Father?"

_Ratigan…_

"I heard you the first time."

_The Animatrix has you…_

"The what?"

_The Animatrix…_

"The… Animatrix?", Ratigan queried, simultaneously rolling the second word around on his tongue and wondering whether his last drink had been doctored slightly.

_Follow the naked mole rat…_

"Follow the… naked mole rat! Ah… nice Alice in Wonderland reference."

The voice seemed to groan. Ratigan's ears flattened against his head in embarrassment. "Sorry."

_Knock, knock, Ratigan…_

Ratigan instantly stood up, expecting the pounding on the door. He was met with silence. "Ah, hello? Where's the 'knock, knock'!"

_Doorways do not always come in the shape of rectangles, Ratigan…_

"And what's that supposed to?"

There was a sudden strange swooshing sound from behind him, and the room was lit with a strange blue color. Ratigan slowly turned to find a strange round hole had appeared from out of nowhere. The electric-blue portal hummed softly, and Ratigan glanced around quickly to see if anyone would have heard. As he turned back, he was shocked by what he saw. "…Wow…"

Literally standing there was a naked mole rat, clad simply in chest armor with shoulder straps that was the same color as the portal. "Professor Ratigan?", he asked in a voice that was moderately lighter than the one he had heard moments before.

"Um… Ye-yes", Ratigan stammered. "Who wants to know?"

"You were invited by a woman by the name of Æsahættr to the Snake's Tail. It's a rather... informal affair", the naked mole rat said dryly, looking at Ratigan's formal three piece suit, "but your clothes will change once you go through the portal."

"Ah… right." He paused before the portal. "This is safe, right?"

The naked mole rat smiled for the first time since he had arrived so oddly. "Would I be here if it wasn't safe?"

"Good point." And he stepped through.

* * *

The first thing he noticed was the noise. Strangely musical noises that seemed to be purposeful, and a man singing "Or maybe I'm just blind". 

After a few moments, the music grew louder. Ratigan winced, but as he adjusted to the noise level, the naked mole rat entered through the portal.(5)

"You'll get used to the music after a minute", he shouted.

"This is music?", Ratigan asked dryly.

"Just wait over by the bar. I'll let Æsahættr know you're here."

The two rodents strode over to the bar, where the naked mole rat ordered his charge a drink. As the naked mole rat strode off, Ratigan pretended to casually sip at it, really wondering what kind of drink it was. "Of course, I shouldn't have expected a sherry… But this isn't an ordinary drink…"

"This isn't an ordinary bar, either", a teenaged voice called. Ratigan looked up to see a teenage girl with red hair and brown eyes, wearing the strangest outfit he had seen in quite awhile. A purple shirt that stopped in a fluid curve above the stomach with sleeves that draped down at the wrists. The extremely short blue skirt was topped by two strange-wave like parts that circled the navel. Worn under that was a pair of lime green and bluish-green striped tights. Finally, the stranger was wearing what appeared to be purple rain boots.

"Yes", Ratigan muttered. "Not ordinary at all."

The teenaged human strode over and sat next to him at the bar. "Hello, James."(6)

Ratigan's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you. I've been wanting to meet you for quite a bit."

"Really?", Ratigan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

"I can't tell you my real name here, but people just call me Æsahættr."

"_You're Æsahættr?_"

The girl smiled. "That's the name, don't wear it out."

"Huh", Ratigan muttered in amazement.

"What?", Æsahættr asked in a slightly defensive tone.

"Oh, sorry." Ratigan blushed. "I just didn't expect-"

"You didn't expect me to be a girl?", Æsahættr asked. "Don't worry, I get that a lot."

"Yes, I actually expected you to be a man."

"Most guys do."

Ratigan smiled, still feeling a little embarrassed. "Do you want to go somewhere and talk?"

"No, if you mean somewhere away from here. It's safer in the corner, though."

Leaving his drink at the bar, Ratigan followed Æsahættr to the corner. The second they got there, Ratigan got down to business. "Who was that in my room?"

"That was Leo."

"Who?"

"Leo."

The name finally registered in the Professor's brain. "The Leo?"

Æsahættr nodded. "Right now, all I can tell you is that you're in danger. That's why Leo told Rufus 3000 to bring you here."

"To warn me." A pause. "Of what?"

"They're watching you, Ratigan."

"Who is?"

"Just listen. I know why you agreed to come here, though you might not realize it. I know because I was looking for the same thing." Her voice was barely a whisper, which was all that was needed, seeing as how she was speaking directly into his ear. "We're both looking for the answer to the same question."

The words came suddenly to his mind. "The Animatrix?"

"Exactly." Æsahættr pulled away, and started towards the crowd, but paused, turning to Ratigan. "Look to my coming tomorrow. You will know where to find me." She smiled, then melted into the crowd.

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

1: Tara, a.k.a. Taranee. In this case, she is nicknamed after the location Tara, Ireland. 

2: Æsahættr, another name for the Subtle Knife. Æsahættr/Subtle Knife is © Phillip Pullman. WORSHIP THE GENIUS! WORSHIP THE GENIUS, I SAY!

3: Just so you know, this is not Simba!

4: A.k.a. Hay Lin. Another word for the west wind.

5: I seem to keep typing "more" instead of mole at this point.

6: The "James Ratigan" clique has a (not so new) member! Yay!


	2. Powder to the Portal

Ah, yes, the next great adven... er chapter! Yes! The next great _chapter_!

Ratigan: You just love torturing me, don't you?

Me: (looking innocent) And what gives you that idea?

Ratigan: Do I _really_ need to answer that?

Me: What? It's not like I don't dole out torture unequally.

Ratigan: Yes, you do. Incidentally, what else do you have planned?

Me: This. (uses magic of fanfiction to turn Ratigan into half-lion/half-rat centaur beast)

Ratigan: (falls over) Cute. Real cute.

-

Disclaimer: I own no one. Ratigan and Basil belong to Disney/Eve Titus, while everyone belongs to just Disney.

_

* * *

_The next morning, Ratigan woke up suddenly in bed. A quick glance to either side of him revealed he was alone. "_Dang..._"

Suddenly, Æsahættr's words of parting echoed true in his mind.

_"Look to my coming tomorrow. You will know where to find me."_

The expression on Ratigan's face turned to one of determination. "Don't worry, I'll find you."

_

* * *

_

Ratigan frowned. He had been searching for over an hour, and had found nothing. Absoloutely nothing.

"And where are you going, Ratigan?"

Ratigan looked up in shock. "_Oh, no... not now..._"

There he was. Basil of Baker Street. Ratigan attempted to calm himself down and make himself look the picture of a villainous criminal mastermind. Or at least something close to it. "Do you know you have an interesting habit of coming when you're needed the least?"

"Since when am I needed the most?"

Thankfully, the temptation to say "Good point" was relatively easy to ignore. It was a remark Ratigan would have generally saved for friends. If he had any.

"Listen. Basil, as much as I'd just love to exchange the odd hero-villain banter with you, I have an appointment I'd rather like not to miss, so if you'll excuse me..."

"What do you think I'm doing here?"

"_Ah, great_", Ratigan thought irritably. Before he had gone to find Æsahættr, he had done a little background check on the cub with strange clothing taste that had made such an odd appearance into his life.(1)

It seemed that she was part of a so-called "anarchist group" that abducted people from all over the world. But that was it. No threats of destruction, general chaos, or overthrowing such-and-such a country's monarchy. It didn't make things any clearer that the group wasn't specific in who they abducted.

What made things even stranger was the fact that some of the people they abducted were rumored to have shown up in the strangest places, apparently allying themselves with the group.

So it didn't really surprise him that Basil might have gotten an earful of this.

"Let me guess: I'm supposedly under arrest?"

"You and that Æsahættr."

Ratigan sighed. "And I take it the whole 'She's only a teen' thing isn't going to appeal to you, isn't it?"

"In this job, age is only a number."

"Thank you for that lovely little piece of wisdom, Socrates."

"Thank you, detective. I belive I can take it from here."

Something in Ratigan's mind internally screamed at him to get out of there when he heard that. The voice that said it was cold, roguish, and had a generally dangerous feline edge to it, specifically of the _Panthera tigris_ variety.

It didn't help matters that a pair of humans showed up behind the detective.

-

Having discarded the deadpan suits for their normal clothing, Drakken and Shego had turned up just a minute after the detective had.

Shego glanced over at her erstwhile employer with a "You owe me" look. Turning back to the matter at hand: "Well, well, well. James Ratigan."

"_Professor_ James Ratigan, if you don't mind, madam."(2)

-

The name made Basil momentarily pause. Where had he heard that name before...?

-

His little meeting with Æsahættr would be delayed a trifle, but this could be an escapable situation. He just needed the right way out. Glancing around briefly, he saw the best escape route would be turning and running like a speeding bullet stuck in the back end of a bat out of hell.(3) All he needed was the right distraction...

This of course, was eagerly (if not intentionally) provided by Basil starting an argument with Shego. All he had to do now was go while the going was good and-

"And where are _you_ going so soon?"

When he heard that, two things were happening: 1) Ratigan was sneaking away from the scene of the current argument and 2) Shego had happened to look up and see Ratigan's escape attempt.

As a result of that, three other things happened: 1) A random, unexpected jet of flame flared up next to Shego, causing: 2) Said villainess to leap sideways, accidentally crashing into Drakken, and: 3) Allowing her attention to drop momentarily, thus letting Ratigan escape, if only for the moment.

So much for supervillain competence. Eeesh.

* * *

Slumping in a rather undignified manner against a wall, Ratigan stopped to catch his breath. While hiding in the alley had been a slightly obvious means of escaping his pursuers, he hadn't been able to think of much else. 

So he simply put up with sitting there for the moment, waiting for an idea to fall into his lap. This, of course, had about the same chances at happening as him willingly admitting in front of Basil that he was, indeed, a rat.

Ironically enough, that's exactly what happened next. It didn't necessarily land in his lap, but, hey, whatever works.

Ratigan winced, biting back a yelp as the large envelope clocked his head. Rubbing his head in pain, he glanced down at the envelope. A smaller envelope that was simply labeled "Ratigan" was taped to the larger. Being careful not to make too much noise, Ratigan cautiously used one of his claws to open the letter. Said letter read thus:

"_Ratigan;_

_Inside this envelope is a cell phone (a portable telephone, if they have those in your time period). However, to make it more mobile, a small earpiece has been added. Instead of trying to explain how it works, I just put in instructions._

_ Good luck;  
Æsahættr_"

Ratigan sighed. He knew it would be tricky, but this...

Technology. Can't live with it, can't live without it.

Quickly, he opened the larger envelope, pulling out a small black, rectangular box... thing. After managing to open the device, revealing the buttons and what appeared to be the reciever, Ratigan pulled the instructions out from the smaller envelope.

"_Instructions for Cell Phone Operation:_

_1) To activate earpiece and speaker, press the 'headphone' button. This is the button to the right of the 'talk' button, which is at the top and center._"

After a moment of close inspection, Ratigan spotted said button. Pressing it caused a black string that branched out into two separate prongs to pop out, one end elongating and the tip forming into a small black, pebble-like thing that fit itself into Ratigan's left ear. When the other stretched out, it turned into another, stopping a few inches from Ratigan's mouth.

"_Please test the mouthpiece on first use to make sure it functions._"

Right. This would be interesting. After a brief glance around to make sure no one was watching or listening, Ratigan whispered "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

"...Ratigan?" was the reply in a deep voice.

Ratigan paused, uncertain. "Are you... Leo?"

"Yes. Hold on."

There was a minute of silence, then: "Ratigan?"

Ratigan looked up at the sound of the female voice: "Æsahættr?"

"Ratigan, you have to get out of here. There are people searching for you at this very moment."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Anyway, we're waiting in the next building over, but you won't be able to get in through any of the doors."

"Crap."

"Exactly. But there might be a way."

"...What are you suggesting?"

-

"You've got to be kidding!"

He looked over the lip of the building. While the two buildings were barely a foot apart, that was still a bit of a jump. He'd have to take it at a run, but he might make it.

Slowly he stepped backwards until he was sure he could build up enough speed to make it. Muscles tensed under fur and skin as he prepared to start running-

"_**Stop!**_"

Ah, yes. Them. But it was too late, for Ratigan had started to speed towards the edge. For a moment, it seemed he would make it.

To say he missed entirely would be a lie. And the end of the story. He barely managed to grab onto the edge with his right hand, and the grip he had wasn't very firm.

He slipped-

And a human hand grabbed his own.

Ratigan looked up in shock. "Æsahættr!"

The teen smiled. "Miss me?"

"Oh, ha ha. Ah... You want to give me a hand here?"

"Don't worry." She glanced over her shoulder. "You heard the man, Hay Lin!"

A sudden and powerful gust of wind blew him up and over the edge, landing on the roof safely.

Meanwhile, Shego was dashing towards the "canyon", intending to leap it with more grace than Ratigan had.

"Ah... Æsahættr?"

"Gaia!", Æsahættr called commandingly. "Now!"

Just as suddenly as the wind had scooped up Ratigan, a gigantic tree suddenly grew in between the two buildings, catching Shego in mid-jump.

If it had been someone else, Ratigan would have thrown a stinging farewell to his foe. But not this time.

A Chinese girl wearing an outfit similar to Æsahættr's, who he suspected was Hay Lin, gently tugged on his arm. "C'mon. Let's go."

The two entered, Æsahættr following. The room they entered held a portal like the one from before. A blond-haired woman glanced at the trio briefly before entering the portal.

Ratigan flattened his hair self-consciously. "Do I look all right?", he asked Æsahættr.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine."

**_To Be Continued..._**

* * *

1: All right, in a book I read about rats in general, the kids are generally referred to as "cubs" or "pups". 

2: Lovely little Pirates of the Caribbean reference for you fans out there.

3: If you got the Red Dwarf reference, you are probably 1) Well versed in the show and probably 2) Have a lot of time on your hands to get this good.

-

Ratigan: (still in his lion/rat centaur form) So, are you going to change me back?

Me: I'll think about it.

Ratigan: "Think about it"? What do you mean, "think about it"?

Me: I'll give it a couple days before I decide.

Ratigan: But... Peachy.


	3. The World of Reality

Three chapters and still no reviews...

Ratigan: You think that might be for a reason?

Disclaimer: I own no one. Ratigan and Basil belong to Disney/Eve Titus, while everyone else is just Disney.

* * *

The portal on the other side flashed and sparked briefly as Cornelia Hale entered. Elyon looked up from the book she was reading. "Did you get him?" 

Cornelia nodded.

Elyon glanced down, then looked back at her friend. "Were you followed?"

"By Drakken and Shego."

"Oh..."

"You were hoping for your brother... I have no love for that murderer."

Elyon sighed. "I am sorry, but you cannot linger on Caleb's death forever."

Cornelia glanced sadly at Elyon. "Elyon..."

Another flash sparked from the portal as Hay Lin entered. Following her was Will, standing next to Ratigan.

"_So... this is the man that will guide the future of all creature-kind..._" Elyon smiled. "Greetings, Ratigan."

Ratigan bit back the temptation to ask how she knew his name, and merely replied "Greetings."

Cornelia sighed, pulling herself together. "Leo is waiting."

Ratigan sighed, unconsciously straightening his waistcoat. He was about to enter the next room, when Æsahættr caught his arm briefly. "Let me give you some advice: Be honest. He knows more than you can possibly imagine."

"Ah... Thank you."

In the next room, Leo a.k.a. Mufasa stood by the window. His red mane covered part of the shoulders of his leather jacket. His ruby-on-yellow eyes were hidden behind mirrored sunglasses. But he was still Mufasa, former king of the Pridelands.(1) 

As Ratigan entered the room, he glanced up with a smile. "At last."

He strode over to Ratigan and shook the rat's hand. "Welcome, James. As you no doubt have guessed, I am Leo."

Ratigan smiled. "It is an honor."

The two men sat across from each other in the cracked, burgundy-leather chairs. "I imagine, right now, that you probably feel like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole."

"You could say that."

"I see it in your eyes. You look of someone who accepts his world because he wants only to wake up from it." A smile appeared on his face, razor-thin. "Ironically, this is not far from the truth. But I am ahead of myself now. Tell me, James, why are you here?"

"You're _Leo_. Most men like me would _die_ to meet you."

Mufasa chuckled. "Yes, thank you. But I believe it is more than that. Do you believe in fate, James?"

"No. For most of my life, I didn't like the idea that I wasn't in control of things."

"I know what you mean. Let me tell you why you are here. You are here because you know something, though you can't explain it. Even though the doubt hasn't emerged often now, it still is a splinter in your mind, driving you insane. This is what brought you here."

"The Animatrix?"

Mufasa smiled again. "Do you want to know what it is?"

Ratigan nodded.

"It is everywhere. All around us, even in this very room. It is the world that was created to shield us from the truth."

"Which is?"

"You are a prisoner, James. Like a lot of us, you were born this way, kept inside a prison for your mind."

The old chair creaked as Mufasa leaned back. "What is the Animatrix? You will have to discover that for yourself."

He held out his hands. In his right was a red pill. In his left, a blue pill. "Take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake up in bed and believe what you want to."

"No..."

"But take the red, and discover what the truth is."

Ratigan looked grimly down at the two pills, his mind made up. "I've come too far to turn back now." He picked up and swallowed the red pill. "I'll go with you."

Mufasa smiled. "Come with me."

Ratigan gazed in amazement at all the equipment in the room. Mufasa walked over to Gaia. "Are we online?"

"Almost." She and Elyon were working swiftly, hard-wiring a complex system of monitors, modules, and drives.

"Time is against us, James. Will you take a seat there?"

Ratigan hesitantly sat in the chair in the center of the room, Æsahættr gently fixing electrode disks to his forehead. "Just out of curiousity", he whispered, "what would have happened had I been caught?"

Æsahættr kept working as she spoke. "They probably would have bugged you and let you go. Probably."

Ratigan frowned. "That doesn't sound too bad."

Æsahættr smiled as she finished. "Sure, if you don't mind a little bug burrowing into your navel."

Ratigan remained calm, though he clutched his stomach in imagined pain.

The girl chuckled, placing a pair of headphones over his ears, then wiring them up to a hotel phone. "Don't worry. It could be taken out."

Ratigan glanced over at one of the tables, where a thing that looked like a cross between a rib separator, speculum, and air compressor. "That?"

"Exactly."

"On second thought, escape looks _very_ appealing from this end." He turned to Leo. "So, what does all this do?"

"The pill you took is part of a trace program that disrupts your input/output signal. This is how we find people."

"Meaning?"

Zephyr grinned. "It means buckle up, Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye."

Ratigan glanced over at Æsahættr, who shrugged. Through the headphones, he could distantly hear Gaia pounding away at the computer. Then he noticed the mirror.

It had stood next to the chair since he had arrived, cracked and somewhat useless. But now he watched, wide-eyed, as it began to heal itself, the glass seemingly becoming liquid and whole. "Oh... my God..."

Leo's expression was impossible to read. "Have you ever had a dream, James, that you were so sure it was real?"

"This can't be..."

"Be what? Be real?"

"I've got him!" Gaia shouted. "Now!"

Ratigan winced and gritted his teeth in agony as an electric shriek errupted from the headphones.

Though he knew Ratigan wouldn't hear him, Leo said "I will see you soon, Ratigan. Very soon."

* * *

Ratigan's back arched as he woke. He blinked as he looked upon the red glow that hovered over him. As he watched, it split evenly in two, pulling back and vanishing into the strange bed he lay on. 

He sat up, feeling a metallic coldness behind his ears. Though there was a strange magnetic hesitation, he removed a strange headband-like device.

He turned his attention from the device in his hands to the surrounding area. Containers like his covered the land, still glowing with an eerie blood-red light. Most possessed an animal, humanoids and "normal"(2) alike, though some held humans as well.

"Oh... Oh my God..."

He looked to the left, his eyes widened in terror. Not far from him, in a container of his own, lay Basil of Baker Street, motionless as death.

Ratigan lay back on the table, thoroughly shocked by what he saw. His eyes fluttered closed, then cracked open.

"How... How did it come to this?"

Suddenly, a familiar face moved into his vision.

"...Æsahættr...?"

Æsahættr looked up at someone. "He's awake."

Ratigan felt a gentle breeze lift him from the table as he closed his eyes. Sleep looked _really_ good at this point...

* * *

Several hours later, Ratigan was lying in the medical bay, his body pierced with acupuncture-like needles hooked up to a strange device. 

Cornelia grimaced. "He'll need a bit of work, but not too much."

Mufasa sighed. "Yes. He is strong."

Ratigan's eyes fluttered open, but shut immediately. "What's happening..."

"Your muscles have atrophied."

Ratigan tried to open his eyes, but shut them in pain. "My eyes hurt... I've never used them before, have I?"

Mufasa sighed sadly. "No, you haven't."

A pair of sunglasses sat on the table. Mufasa picked them up, placing them over Ratigan's eyes. "Relax, James. The answers will come soon enough."

Some time after that, Ratigan woke from a deep sleep. Whereas he was disoriented and terrified eariler, he was relaxed now. He looked down at himself. When he had woken up in the tube, he was wearing the same clothes he had worn in the so-called real world. Now they lay on a chair in the corner, while he was now wearing a simple short-sleeved shirt and pants.

As he stretched, he noticed a feeling of new strength in him. He couldn't be ashamed of his strength before, but now...

Æsahættr opened the door. Now in her non-Guardian form, Ratigan wouldn't have recognized her if it weren't for her red hair. "Hey."

Ratigan smiled. "Hello."

She sat next to him. "Nice to see you're all right. You didn't look too good when we found you."

"Well, after what I saw..."

"I know."

"It's odd, really. All this time, Basil and I were foes, but now that I know that we were technically in the same boat..." He sighed. "Where am I?"

"Currently, you're aboard the Meridian, which is bound for New Heatherfield."

"Oh... New Heatherfield?"

"You'll see it soon enough. Mu... I mean _Leo_ wants to see you."

"...Mufasa?"

Æsahættr nodded, then stood. "C'mon."

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

1: Told you it wouldn't be Simba. 

2: When I say "normal", I mean Lion King/Lady and the Tramp/Bambi normal.

Ratigan: So, Leo is Mufasa?

Me: Um, yeah.

Ratigan: Wait a sec. Didn't he _die_ in The Lion King?

Me: Eh, I'll explain that later.

Ratigan: Oh. (pauses) So... Are you going to turn me back? (puppy eyes) Please?

Me: Ugh...

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